Welcome to SWEET BEAR CREEK WHIMS BLOG, a place dedicated to all things creative. Stay tuned for news, updates on my latest projects, events, how to's and give-aways!

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Sunday, November 27, 2011

Be sure to check out this sweet blog giveaway from Pam at Antique or Not. This ends Dec. 10th, CLICK HERE to enter into her 300th post giveaway!

Well, another Thanksgiving has come and gone, they just seem to be coming and going faster and faster, is there any way to slow this down? We ate, then ate some more, had to roll home, but a good time was had by all. Good food, family, friends and a nice visit! We spent the day in town to shop yesterday, it truly was a zoo of people, wears me out, but I always have a good time dinging around with the hubby, and we did accomplish a few things!

I "should" be decorating, making Christmas cards, figuring out dinner, and my shopping list, making a few more goodies to sell, make a few gifts of my own..... BUT I think I need dynamite right now to get me moving, at least if feels that way. Do you ever have so much piling up, that the thought of it literally renders you useless, and you therefore get nothing done? I wish you all more productivity than seems to be happening here right now! Have a wonderful and relaxing Sunday.

Monday, November 21, 2011

I want to thank all here who are new followers, and those who entered this giveaway! You have all made this so much fun. I enjoyed reading all your posts about what you love most during the Holidays. I appreciate having a connection with such wonderful and creative people through this thing called blogging! This contest exposed me to so many wonderful blogs I did not even know were out there! I will definitely be doing more giveaways in the future so stay tuned.... Have a blessed Thanksgiving

Saturday, November 19, 2011

We've all heard the phrase "The Eyes Are The Windows To The Soul" This wonderful barn near where I live, has haunting, tired eyes that have seen better days, stories to tell if only he could, he has an old soul! This is a picture I took last winter, this barn is one of my favorites in the area, it may sound silly, but it speaks to me. I love this barn, I just can't explain my affection for it, he has a face, can you see it? He sags from having to stand at attention for so many years, he has seen so many things, I imagine and wonder what they might be. I can almost see a faint smile under his eyes. I drive by him regularly and "feel" him looking at me. I am very sad because you can see he does not have many more days left, they are coming to an end. I am grateful I have some pictures of this piece of history. This picture came to mind today since in the past couple days we must have gotten over a foot of snow, and it keeps on falling. It is a winter wonderland out there! This is an early arrival for all this snow.

My crafty news is really pretty boring, I have no new things to show and tell simply because I am trying to get my special orders done. I am almost there! This is my favorite time of year for crafting since snowmen and winter things are my favorite to create. I also get frustrated this time of year, so many ideas and plans, but not enough time ultimately to do them.

Only a few days left until I draw the winner for the giveaway! I think I will give the first place draw the choice between prize one or two and do it that way. I wish you all a wonderful Saturday!

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Good morning ~ I am now looking out the window at a frosty ground, COLD and overcast, that can only mean one thing....SNOW! I know many wish for it not to arrive, but not me, I enjoy it immensely. It helps that I live in an area that is always ready for it, so there are no "snow days" here. So I say... let it snow!

I have already stuffed 5 heads and one body for some orders this morning and I am ready for that Coffee! I do hope it makes me do things faster, and of course with more energy, BUT I am hoping to leave out the stupid! :-) I think I am like most and look forward to my nice cup of coffee in the morning more than anything. I do work in a coffee shop three mornings a week, so I am of the strong belief that Coffee DOES makes the world go round, and no I don't mean Folgers! I guess I would have to add Glitter to that, awww, now the world is spinning perfectly! I do not recommend coffee and glitter together however, I draw the line at sparkly coffee.

I would love suggestions if anyone has any on what type of tutorials you might like to see from me on this blog? Also, I hope that in some small way my artwork inspires you to be creative, try new things, or sparks a desire to jump in and see if perhaps there is a creative talent within you just waiting to be discovered! I have no secrets here, so if I can help, email me. Never assume you can't, try new things, practice, see what works, the worst that can happen is you get a good laugh and have to toss it in the garbage.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Carol Stuck of Buttermilk Creek Farm is the winner of one of the trim your tree OFG team ornament giveaways! She wins my old world one-of-a-kind Santa AND several others from the team members. I have just finished packing him up and tomorrow he will be on his way to Carol's house! Congrats Carol on winning this fun giveaway. When I enclosed my thank you note, it had not dawned on me who you were, I invited you to enter my giveaway here lol , funny since you are already entered and we are both advertising each others giveaways. It's a small "blog world isn't it"

A sweet snowgirl ornie I whipped up over the weekend!

This little girl just makes my heart melt! I made her as a gift, but after seeing how she turned out, I do think I need to make more of these to sell, what do you think? No, she isn't a pattern, just made it up as I went. She has a hand painted face, grunged up sock for her hat and I grungied "is that a word?" up some feathers that were otherwise white to take that new look away, we could not have that now could we??? She is bigger than my hand, so a pretty large ornament.

A little secret of mine I will tell you, I really want to design patterns to sell, after all I have been making up my own for years, BUT I just have not figured all this PDF stuff out,! That nagging little voice in my head sometimes makes me doubt my abilities, I know, we should NOT listen to those voices, NO SIREEE. I may be getting closer than ever to finally being brave enough to venture there, I do have ideas to offer, it is funny how it took this long for it to dawn on me, a light went on one day and I said to myself, "I could do this!" so we'll see what this coming year brings! I guess it's not a secret now huh?

The words "grungy and prim" brings to mind how many years ago as I crafted, the world was saying.... all seams must be perfect, hems turned under, material pressed, everything neat and pristine. You remember the days don't you, before we said that Prim was okay? I went along, pressing, turning and all the rest, but was never completely happy with my projects, I mean they were okay, but I just had not found PRIM YET... In my heart I knew I loved antiques, old houses, time-worn and well loved items, but the crafting community wanted perfect, I however wanted imperfect. I did not want to worry about making it all "perfect", so you can imagine how happy I was to finally find where I belong!!

Primitive artwork is embraced now completely. Primitive, whimsical with a vintage flair is truly my hearts desire, I am finally at home with my creating. I am most satisfied with my creations after they have been aged and made to have that imperfect charm. I must say however, I am not an extreme prim artist, my things are lightly primed and yes hopefully you will agree too... pretty. I think when we stop worrying about all the so called rules, and do what's in our hearts, then we can clearly see who we are as artists.

I hope you all had a wonderful and relaxing weekend! Let me leave you with a verse...

Matthew 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God ALL things are possible.

Tomorrow starts the online Old Fashioned Christmas craft show, I am working to get my items ready to post tomorrow, be sure to check out all the blogs who are participating.

So far the response to the giveaway has been great! Thank you to all my new followers... I know that many of you also have giveaways going on right now, just as soon as things calm down in the next couple of days or so "I am so busy", I will go on, visit your blogs, and enter YOUR giveaways AND post them here!!

Sunday, November 6, 2011

These dolls will be for sale November 10th on Pfatt Marketplace!
See my link here on the side-bar.
You can also see more photos of these girls on my Pfatt-November link on the top of this blog! Be sure to visit pfatt marketplace to see ALL the mind-blowing talent there and the artwork they offer.http://www.pfattmarketplace.com/

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Here is a peek at my gingerbread dolls! They will be posted in full view soon, sometimes no matter how hard I try, the pictures just don't turn out to my liking. This one wasn't too bad, but tomorrow it will be another photo shoot session for sure.

The doll on the left will be for sale, and the girl on the right will be my blog give away!! I am just finishing up a snow-girls as well. Stay tuned, the give away starts on the 8th!

Check out my first blog tutorial, click on the tutorial link at the top of the page. My tutorial is on making cinnamon cut outs for craft projects.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Now I am just positive that this is what we'll all be looking like right before Thanksgiving! refrigerator looking well, pretty much like that right??? Ha, I don't think so.... what a picture, she smiles in pride at her fully stocked fridge, neat dress and of course high heels for cooking all that food, I mean what else would one wear to cook in all day? I got a kick out of this picture and thought you might too, get us all in the mood for Thanksgiving day feast.

I am excited, soon I will be posting my blog give away, it is just the cutest gingerbread doll, you can almost smell the cinnamon and sugar coming off her! I will have one for the blog and hopefully a couple more to sell. Stay tuned, she'll be here very very soon...

I can just smell the snow in the air here, it is coming soon. I am a fan of snow, love the beauty of fresh clean fallen snow, a winter wonderland. I love snowmen too, so that really gets me in the mood to pull all my snowmen out from there long summer's hibernation. I keep my snowmen out almost all winter long, and am sad when they go back into storage. Well, it is off to paint, stuff and create!!